What happened

On February 8, 2023, a Black employee who works in the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion area within University of Utah Health received a letter with a return address from a PO Box in Washington under the name of Ketok Mulugeta. The typed letter, which is unsigned, expresses racist, antisemitic, and anti-Islamic sentiments. It also contains language that “Blacks are artificially raised to leadership positions because they are lapdogs of the Jews.” There are no explicit threats contained in the letter, but the letter does talk about “death as the great equalizer.” Though it has a return name and address, the sender is unknown and does not seem to be affiliated with the University.

What is being done

The employee reported the incident to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (OEO/AA), the Racist and Bias Incident Response Team, and the University of Utah Police Department. U of U Police are conducting an investigation.

If you have any information related to this incident (or others) that may help, or if you receive or find any copies of this letter or similar letters around campus, please report them by filling out the form at the Office of the Dean of Students website. You can also report to University of Utah Police by calling 801-585-2677 or filling out the Silent Witness form.

If, through the course of some review or investigation (by University Police, or other appropriate investigative body), the individual(s) responsible is identified, the Office of the Dean of Students (if confirmed to be a student), Human Resources (if confirmed to be an employee), or other appropriate leader will act within University policy designed to hold the individual(s) accountable and, if appropriate, provide additional education about the harm caused to the community by this type of behavior.

What to do

Be vigilant and speak up. If you are interested in learning more about the variety of resources the U offers to support diversity and inclusion, please visit the Office of the Dean of Students in the Union Building, Room 270, deanofstudents@utah.edu, 801-581-7066, or Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Park Building, Room 208, or https://diversity.utah.edu/our-team/. To make a report of a racist or bias incident, visit the public reporting form. 

The U is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion

The University strongly disagrees with and condemns the messages this letter conveys that causes harm and diminishes a sense of belonging and safety for not only our Black, Jewish, and Islamic communities, but for other marginalized communities as well. We are striving to create a campus community where all members find a place of safety and belonging, and have the space to explore, express, and celebrate their various identities. Those who engage in the work of creating a more inclusive and diverse culture on campus should be able to do so without fear of threats.

When done covertly, we cannot stop the act in the moment. We will continue to name the biased and hateful acts, investigate, and when such acts violate the law or our policies, we will hold the perpetrators of these hateful acts accountable when they are identified. Additionally, we will continue efforts that uplift and celebrate our communities and enhance a sense of belonging on our campus, and strive to live our mission and lead with purpose.